This has been slow going.

I started out at 289 on March 29 of this year. I had no idea what kind of weight loss to expect and within the first three months I had lost about fifty pounds. I was happy but, you know, it's still major surgery and I was still at almost 240 which is, by the way, still fat. it's now five months later and I've lost roughly another 30 pounds. This is also marvelous, but it's been a total of eight months and I am around 210, which is..you know...still fat.

I spend very long periods of time not thinking about this. In fact wondering or worrying if I will ever Be Thin only comes to consciousness when I realize I have dropped another ten pounds. I spent what felt like decades at 222; I got a new job, moved to another apartment, all at 222. I really just weighed myself occasionally because I REFUSED TO OBSESS.

But this 210 on the scale is pulling me down to Onederland, which makes me wonder if I will actually ever get there and that makes me wonder if I will ever get to goal. I still have four months left in the Magic Sleeve Year but people also say they lose after that if there's more to come off.

A passable adult weight for me would be 175 at five foot ten. A brilliant weight for me would be 165. A Beyond My Wildest Dreams result would be 155, but I'm thinking that at the rate I'm going it will probably take me another year. This isn't horrible news, because really slower *is* better than faster for metabolic reasons, but then there is the question of whether I will ever get there at all.

What do you think, longtimers? Do you think I could get another 55 pounds out of the sleeve at eight months in and a current rate of five pounds a month?

I have only been sleeved for 4 months but I believe you can! When the weight loss really slows you can amp up your work outs to get to the 175 you dream of! You can do it!

We had surgery very close in time, and our weight losses are somewhat in line with each other. I admit I have fears of never even reaching Onederland, much less goal. Then I look around the site and see those who are still losing at 18 months. So it sounds very promising for hopefully both of us! Good luck and keep working it!

Thanks sleeve of steel -- and yes, sychadelic, we seem to be about the same. I've seen people losing inside of two years also and the math -- calories in and calories out -- seems to support the possibility. It would be great but this is taking *so long*. I don't wanna wait another year.

Although I have to say this seems to be everybody's problem out there in losertown. Really fast losses seem to lead to really depressing regains, and I know that this weight, 210 -- is a solid number possibly forever. Good to know but I wish it were 165

Nice to see you again, Crosswind--

I would say that your overall downward trend is fantastic and it will continue. I noticed a massive slowdown around month 7-8 and then this last month I lost 4 pounds in one week. Random. So, even if it is slow, it will continue. It sucks to not be where you want to be. You have done the right thing by not living for the scale. You can send yourself straight to the looney bin worrying about day to day fluctuations.

Hopefully some more long-timers will reply and give you some 9 month to 18 month weight loss stats.

I don't think 12 months is a hard stopping point.

Congrats on your success!

I don't think it's a hard stopping point either, except in terms of research.

One thing I've also refused to do is to try to make it on 6-800 calories per day. I'm more at 12-1400 and the reason I don't obsess about this is because I really don't understand the science at all behind forcing people to live on those few calories. Over time it seems it would make your metabolism really slow down and *stop you from losing* beyond a certain point. What makes more sense to me is a solid calorie deficit that's not starvation. It's slower but it just seems to have more of a chance of longterm success.

What happens eventually is that your ( anyone's) calorie deficit is meeting up to reduced caloric needs. In order to fuel an extra 100 pounds of fat you need roughly 1000-1200 calories a day. In order to fuel an extra ten pounds you need 100--120 calories a day. So obviously you're not going to burn off the excess as fast. For you -- four pounds a month makes sense if your calories are 1200 or so.

According to most calculators I still need 2000 calories or a little more than that to maintain my weight right now.

I think this is what's realistic and I think the rest of it...20 pounds a month and so forth -- is unrealistic. The reason I think it's unrealistic is because I've lost that fast before and just ended up piling it all back on.

Would you do anything differently if you just decided you will be 210 forever and you will not lose anymore weight? Would you eat more or differently or exercise less or something?

I just figure I will eat the same after I reach goal as I do now. I may drop down a little bit more or not... but not quickly in any event. I'm not really on a special diet except for more Protein than before. I guess I could develop increased stomach capacity or hunger... I don't know about that yet. Hope not. Some studies say there is a weight bounce at 3 years. I am trying to stay on track and not just go on some crazy cake eating expedition or something for a month...(Really, I don't even think I could do that now...) I don't feel like I have to hold myself back much at all. Just trying to make healthy and conscious decisions as often as possible.

You know there could be increased stomach capacity but the probability of it stretching back to the size it was has just got to be zero. How could a person get back eighty five percent of a stomach that's been cut out? My stomach is probably the size it was when I was six years old -- if it grows back to a ten year old stomach I figure I'll still be doing pretty good.

I dunno, a lot of the findings according to what I see online are kind of murky. For example, I don't see how a person could stop losing weight at exactly a year if they're still running a caloric deficit. You're right, I wouldn't eat differently or exercise less - this is all naturally what I do as a sleever.

It's really just "time will tell".

I only know one person very well who has had surgery and that was RNY. She got prego before she had lost much of the weight, and is STILL happy she got the surgery. She is probably about 50+ pounds down from her high weight(had about 100+to lose), and figures that is better than not being down 50 pounds. She seems to eat without restriction (she is always talking about cheescake and potatoe salad...), but still manages to keep those 50 pounds off... so the surgery is still working for her to that degree. I suspect if we can keep the protein first rule in action, the rest will follow pretty well.

The sleeve by itself should cause you to loose 50% of excess weight. Assuming the 155 is ideal then the total from 289 is 134 so the sleeve, in the course of a year, should get you down to 222. The rest, other 50% is normal diet and exercise.

You will get there. I agree slower is better, to much to fast causes weakness and tears away at Protein and muscle. Mix things up, have a day of no worry splurge then go on a no/low fat low calorie eating string. This helps keep metabolism going and avoiding "starvation mode" stalls. Add some exercise, or different, exercises into mix. If you normally just walk or run, then add in resistance training. If you do resistance change up the types of exercises. This will not only help with metabolism memory but muscle memory problems.

I've been quite poky too, but I've also been 1000-1400 kcals per day since a month or two post-op. I lose slowly but fairly steadily, with the odd two-month stall in there sometimes. Things are going good and I see no reason why a six-month or one-year mark should make a difference to that. :-)

Hm, that's true about the 50 percent, and I'm already at 210-ish, so it's more than 50. One thing I've noticed is that I really can't go below a certain number of calories for too long or I get really, *really* tired. I also need a certain number of carbs. A week or so ago I tried to get under a 1000 and I made it no problem, but by the fourth day I couldn't get out of bed or think straight. When I dropped my own restriction I overate a little the next two days and went up two pounds. It's really interesting to see this clearly finally; food for fuel and its affects.

I also don't have any cravings. If someone offers me cake I'll eat it to be social and think hum de dum, someone went to the trouble to make this stupid thing. So my body tells me all kinds of fascinating things about what and how much I'm eating. It *adjusts itself* and tells me stuff like "eat more" or " that was a very stupid thing to waste calorie on, not only did it not taste good, it's made us all kind of sick". So it *seems* like the downward trend continue.

It's not terrible to be down eighty pounds at all -- I just wonder if one day I'll be really thin again -- btw, last year? I would have cut off an arm to weigh 210.

Crosswind, Your last sentence says it ALL. "I would have cut off my arm to weigh 210". You still have motivation and you will continue to lose. The fact that food isn't ruling your life, but is just a part of your overall picture (ho hum about the cake), means that you will continue to make good food choices and you will lose weight.

I don't think you have doubts, but just wanted some reassurance, and I think you've got it!

Good luck. I can't wait until you post your "I'm at goal" post!

Hey Crosswind...

just had to chip in about the year marker... since my one year, I have still lost. Yes, I am a really slow loser but there is no significant gains either.

Currently I am giving myself some 'time out' from the whole diet thing. It was starting to get me down, so I suppose I have switched into maintance mode for the month of Dec!

However, in the New Year, I intend to start the whole 'lets get to goal' thing started again, and I believe that I will get there regardless on how long it takes. My body is just fighting to KEEP the last 10-14lbs just like it has been fighting me since March time. I will win though...

Personally, I have NEVER lost more than 7lbs on any given diet, at any given age and any given starting weight. So the sleeve for me has been a bloody Godsend!

You will get to your desired place... it might take time, but it will happen. I love the way you think about food; that it doesn't rule your every waking hour. To me, that is a positive sign that you will not only get to goal but also maintain. You said you wondered if you will ever think like a thin person... Crosswind, you are thinking like a thin person!! Good for you =]

Hey Crosswind...

just had to chip in about the year marker... since my one year, I have still lost. Yes, I am a really slow loser but there is no significant gains either.

Currently I am giving myself some 'time out' from the whole diet thing. It was starting to get me down, so I suppose I have switched into maintance mode for the month of Dec!

However, in the New Year, I intend to start the whole 'lets get to goal' thing started again, and I believe that I will get there regardless on how long it takes. My body is just fighting to KEEP the last 10-14lbs just like it has been fighting me since March time. I will win though...

Personally, I have NEVER lost more than 7lbs on any given diet, at any given age and any given starting weight. So the sleeve for me has been a bloody Godsend!

You will get to your desired place... it might take time, but it will happen. I love the way you think about food; that it doesn't rule your every waking hour. To me, that is a positive sign that you will not only get to goal but also maintain. You said you wondered if you will ever think like a thin person... Crosswind, you are thinking like a thin person!! Good for you =]

Coops I LOVE reading everything you write! You are so practical and lovely! So entertaining :-)